Mobile Asset Management – Hardcat MiCatX App

Mobility for Assets, Auditing, Stock Control and Maintenance

Mobile devices will assist you in controlling business assets. But while mobility for asset management is nothing new, a recent development is the use of regular smartphones and tablets with an asset management mobile application installed.

This new development makes mobile asset management and asset tracking systems affordable for businesses of all sizes. And as business users are granted high-level access from personal mobile devices, smartphones and tablets are effectively replacing desktops for many business tasks.

Almost three quarters (72.6 per cent) of internet users will access the web solely via their smartphones by 2025, equivalent to nearly 3.7 billion people.

72 percent of people will use only mobile for internet by 2025

Hardcat MiCatX to replace Windows PDA

In terms of mobile applications, the entire world is moving away from Windows Mobile to Android and iOS platforms. For several years now, Hardcat has accommodated this change in the mobile asset management market with continuous development and by keeping abreast of evolving global standards. We are therefore proud to introduce the Hardcat MiCatX and mobile asset management suite of solutions.

You can now conduct all your asset management tasks and activities ‘in the field’ with your smartphone/tablet/dedicated Android/ iOS devices, in either online or offline mode:

• Manage all your assets remotely and still adhere to the appropriate regulations such as ISO.
• Conduct asset audit/verification processes when and where required.
• Conduct maintenance tasks and activities across your geographic area of responsibility.
• Update all asset usage measures (kilometres, hours, and so forth) as and when required.
• Lodge, respond and resolve service requests without time delays.
• Manage your stock (consumables, parts, and so forth) inventory without delays.
• Issue and return assets and stock on the fly.

Benefits of using the Hardcat MiCatX application

• Asset Register is always available and updated in ‘real-time’
• Conduct asset audits/verifications either according to planned programmes or as ‘spot-check’ activities where the following can be added on the fly via your smartphone/device:
  • New assets found on the floor/ in the field.
  • Update of locations and creation of new locations found.
  • Update of people and creation of “new” people found.
  • Update of product catalogue and creation of new products found.
• Record and report on the movement and status of assets.
• Record and update the GPS location of every asset where required.
• Take photographs of assets, which is very useful when identifying assets in poor condition that need to be attended to in the shortest possible timeframe.
• Asset custodians will have a real-time view and management capability of their assigned assets.
• MiCatX application is available to users online and offline, thus providing the capability to work on all assets even though the connectivity may be poor or non-existent.
• Able to conduct, update and create all maintenance tasks in the field.
• Able to conduct, create, resolve, and update all service requests in the field.
• Able to view stock availability as well as issue/return and audit stock in the field.

CatScan – end-of-life statement

Feature development has sadly ceased for CatScan. CatScan mobile software support from Hardcat will end on 31 October 2023. Hardcat CatScan support until then extends to current Microsoft operating systems which support device access via Microsoft Windows Mobile Device Centre. The Hardcat MiCatX solution, designed for smart devices, tablets, and specialist RFID and barcode scanning, has benefited from decades of Hardcat asset management expertise. It is the SME mobile asset management solution for the 2020s. MiCatX stands on the shoulders of CatScan for Windows Mobile, CatScan for PalmOS, CatScan for PDT3100, and even earlier barcode light pen technology. Your Hardcat representative is ready to demonstrate MiCatX capability and to help with your CatScan to MiCatX migration.

Mobile Asset Management Suite of Solutions

Implementing a mobile asset tracking solution can be seen as a win-win acquisition for better management of assets and increased employee efficiency. In today’s workplace, finding a staff member without a smartphone is hard, and this familiarity means better adoption. This is great news for business owners looking to implement mobile asset tracking.

Why? Well, firstly, employees can use existing devices, whether that be their own or ones provided to them by the company. Secondly, the familiarity with mobiles among employees means that the need for training is minimal. And, the need to buy specific handheld tracking devices for each employee is non-existent. All together resulting in fewer expenditures.

But, for it to work, a mobile asset tracking system would need to operate alongside a specific tracking technology. And there are various tagging technologies to choose from including Barcodes and QR codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Global Positioning System (GPS) and Bluetooth. Although, choosing the right technology for your business depends on your tracking needs.

Not all companies that have assets need mobile asset management. In some situations, you can do perfectly well by using desktop computers to keep track of your assets. There are situations, however, where the ability to track assets using mobile devices is absolutely essential and will significantly increase your business operations efficiency.

Auditing Assets and Equipment

Inaccurate asset registers can cost your organisation dearly in higher taxes and insurance premiums as well as slowing down business processes. Maintaining an accurate asset register helps organisations retire end-of-life assets, track ethical disposal, add new assets, halt the purchase of unnecessary assets and manage and track existing assets more efficiently.

The greatest savings are in procurement, ethical disposal, and operations. Enterprises that reconcile assets can identify redundant or rarely used products. An enterprise can save a huge amount of money by dropping an asset for which it was paying maintenance fees but is no longer used. By retiring unused assets, companies may reduce tax bills for assets by as much as 20–30%.

Business Scenarios for Mobile Asset Management

Here are some business scenarios where mobility makes the most sense and provides significant benefits:

Tracking loaned or borrowed assets in the field

Whether employees borrow or return an asset, re-locate it, or need to send it to repair or document the damage. The smartphone is a perfect tool to perform this task.

Data access and data collection in the field

Employees can scan a QR code or barcode on the equipment with their smartphone to get immediate access to all required information.

Asset audits in the field

By using a smartphone, employees can scan in assets in the audit location or in their possession and submit data to the server, to update the Hardcat database.

Equipment maintenance, service and inspections in the field

Accurate searchable digital records of all maintenance, service and inspections, can be searched by multiple parameters to easily find the required information.

Stock management and transfers

Stock management for the creation, capturing of images, auditing, and adjustment of stock items. While stock transfer enables the transfer of stock between locations/people/cost centres/assets/work orders and problems.

Access Data; Create, Edit And Update In The Field

A key feature of mobile asset tracking is the accessibility of real-time and accurate data from your asset register. Employees can have instant access to key data from anywhere, at any time; principally important for field staff. This means teams and individuals from multiple locations can have access to asset information, maintenance schedules, work orders, and asset auditing.

Access To Data With Limited Internet Connection

As with all electronic devices, there are issues that can aggravate productivity. Most notably, mobile signal. If field staff work in an area with limited or no internet, how can they access the data? Mobile users should be able to complete inspections, view detailed asset history, and easily track parts and labour in real-time or offline mode.

This is where a mobile solution that stores data locally on your device, allowing access in a ‘non-connected state’ comes in handy. And when the internet connection is available, update immediately your asset register, with no manual upload/download of data.

Simple, Fast, Reliable Communication

The Hardcat smartphone and tablet application originally referred to as MiCat is now combined with CatScan to create the powerful app MiCatX.

The Hardcat MiCatX smartphone and tablet application allow for mobility in assets, data collection, asset audits, maintenance and help desk functions. Mobile users can perform anywhere anytime inspections, view detailed asset history and easily track parts and labour in real-time.

Simple, fast, and reliable communication between the office and field. MiCatX work performed is updated immediately in the Hardcat database when you are connected. But when there is no internet connection available, you can choose to work offline. Data can be synced manually or on a schedule, which is configurable.

MiCatX App on App Store and Google Play

Hardcat MiCatX allows for deployment to a wider number of users due to its ease of implementation and use. The new MiCatX application is free and ready for you to download from the iOS and Android app stores.

Hardcat MiCatX App Capabilities

• Work online or offline; work in a live connected mode (changes made directly update the Hardcat database) or offline and sync manually or on a schedule (which is configurable)

• Each staff member has access to assets they are responsible for managing

• Create new assets and edit existing assets

• Create new and edit existing work orders

• Scan barcode to locate individual assets and work orders

• Configurable colour-coordinated asset lists to highlight asset status and condition

• Unique login for each user with configurable data access permissions

• Data is instantly synced back to your Hardcat asset register database

• Conduct ad-hoc asset audits, anywhere, anytime

• Access to attached asset files; view photos, service manuals

• Fully integrated with the smartphone camera allows for the capture of photos

• Cost-effective concurrent user licenses

• MiCatX allows deployment to a wider number of users due to its ease of implementation and use

• Connects to your existing Hardcat database over an IP connection (Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G)

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface

Mobile Asset Management Drives Efficiencies

Drive efficiencies in asset tagging, tracking and auditing by utilising cutting-edge identification and mobile asset tracking technologies, to build a digital management solution that ensures all data is current and accurate.

Hardcat provides complete mobility and accessibility, so you can empower your workforce to rapidly and accurately capture data, complete inspections and work orders, view reports and undertake audits, wherever they are.

HardcatWeb partnered with the MiCatX app is your gateway to efficiencies whilst users are working remotely. It is the easiest and fastest way to remotely consume your Hardcat database.